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The Ballad of The Impossible Drive
Posted on Monday, February 04 @ 14:50:16 EST by jfbailey
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The Ballad Of
The Impossible Drive
Eli Manning: The Mississippi Slinger
Listen Big Blue Fans and you shall hear
Of the Rebel Kid without fear,
On the 3rd of February, 08, in Season 07
Every NY fan who saw his Impossible Drive
Will remember this famous day and year.
With evil New England ahead 14-10,
The Kid’s Giants were all thought done.
Pundit and sportscaster, fan, swell and exploiter
Thought with but 2:42 on scoreboard clock,
The peerless leader had too many yards to reconnoiter.
“Impossible to penetrate the Patriot defense steadfast,
He cannot get this done. Belichick the genius will stop them at last
Crown New England the most illustrious team of the NFL past.
Through blitz and blast, Number 10 surveyed the 83 yards to glory.
With shock of dark lock and furrowed brow,
He bent to his task to write the gridiron’s most improbable story.
Then he said “HUT. HUT.HUT” and stamped his right foot,
A swing pass to Toomer for 11 yards on the sideline to the Big Blue 28
Started the drive of all-time. Two passes fell short, one thrown late,
The second a TD if Plaxico had not had the misfortune to hesitate,
The despair of the hopeful millions reached a low,
3rd & 10 on the 28 with 2 minutes left
Giant fan hopes were bereft.
The Quarterback Kid threw up the middle against a blitz of Patriot mortality
The elegant Toomer catches the pass in traffic a yard shy at the NY37
and it is one play for the season.
Fourth and 1 on the Giant 37 hash,
New England had but to close the door for immortality.
Eli coolly gave the ball to Jamming Jacobs on a drive for the crucial first.
The Giant white line rips the New England blue wall asunder
Jacobs driving through the gap in the grass. The “ Impossible” is alive in an eruption of thunder.
From the 39 now, Eli the Dream-believer, trapped runs to the 44 right
Stopped after 5 yards and the clock of doom is stopped
In rush of fearsome blue, the Ole Miss Rebel has pass batted down.
Is it New England’s night?
On a 3rd and 5, a play for the Pantheon, blue Patriot hordes charge!
Over the top , here comes the beef ,
splitting, thrusting aside valiant defenders scattering red numbers
Tattooed arms the size of Glouster pilings – chests wide as Peterbilts descend over the Mississippi slinger slight.
But with nimble dodge and gambler guile, Eli the Eel slips out of the decending pile,
Out from under the deluge, an elegant flip of a high right hand launches a humpback
Floating Missile over the middle in tantilizing arching style.
It finds the kid from Montclair at the Pat 24– the incomparable Tyree
Between two Patriot pickets, up, up, up the big guy climbs. He tips! He juggles at the crest;
Fights off the claws of defenders distraught
Clasping pigskin to back of his helmet, Tyree never lets it go to save the day.
With the toughness of Bavaro,
Crashing to greensward white line, he cradles the pass to nowhere
to chest and it is caught!
The ballet of brute grace gives the Missisissippi slinger four cards to play.
Belichick’s behemoths come with blue wave and drive Eli to earth for a last timeout.
Four plays for glory. Anxiety afflicts New Englanders. Hope for the impossible is dared to shout.
A pass to Tyree falls and it is 3rd and 11 on the 26. Another sure schtick
Like a Tennessee sharpshooter, the young Rebel slings a waist-high rifle shot
To the nimble Smith at the far side down stick
With ballet twist, Smith twisting left brings the bullet in to his left waist
Between two defenders,
Sidesteps around the stick to stop the dwindling seconds.
To the Yankee 13 with no timeouts and New England reeling in discord.
The Mississippi slinger drops back , the blue NY helmets hold off the desperate horde.
In mastermind Belichick’s dreams, he sees the single Hobbs on Plaxico the Magnificent.
The Rebel with an Arm, scans right, lofts “The Impossible Pass” with shrewd feint
New England’s hapless Hobbs has been fatally deked by Burress, now backpedaling in Disneyland waiting for 6 points to arrive!
Into the two hands of Plaxico the Magnificent the ball floats to complete the Impossible Drive.
So as long as Giant fans who saw it they will remember and tell of Eli’s Team
Of the Mississippi Slinger who slung the Giants into history.
Coughlin’s heroes of hope join the names of Giant Legends :
Conerly, Gifford, Tripplet, Rote , Schnelker and Tunnell –
Place the laurel wreathes on the brows of Jacobs, Toomer, Smith, Plaxico and Tyree.
The defenders valiant join the likes of Huff, Big Mo and little Mo, Sva and Svo, Patton and Lynch
Welcome Pierce, Strahan, Tuck, and Corey Webster. For as long as Giants fans who are alive
They will remember the teammates of and the kids of
Eli Manning’s Impossible Drive.
Note: The watercolor print of Super Bowl Hero Eli Manning in his Ole Miss playing days is available on collegefootballart.com.
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